Freezing Shadows, Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Regicide

Turning my eyes to the astral, I saw two of the mantis spirits in their true form slashing at the ward, while two of the hybrids punched it. Together, their attacks were more than enough to rip through the barrier, causing a gaping wound in the fabric of the magical barrier to spread. There were no words, nothing to say. We all moved forward. The only thing that mattered, at this moment, was killing the Shaman and the remaining ants.

The chamber beyond was wide, clearly the center of this ‘hive’, as other tunnels fed into this point. Maybe twenty meters from one side of the chamber to the other. Of course, the chamber wasn’t empty. Two of the big soldier ants were there, along with three ‘human’ women, who were at least sporting weapons and armor. They were between us, and the other two figures, a human man, obviously the shaman, and a young girl lying in what looked like a kind of cocoon in the middle of a ritual circle. I didn’t need to know the specifics to understand that this was a Bad Thing.

“Drek, he’s almost finished summoning the queen!” DeeDee’s outburst confirmed that, yes, this was a Bad Thing in the making. “Rush them!”

“IT IS TOO LATE, HERETICS!” The Shaman shouted. “SHE IS HERE!”

As he laughed in triumph, the cocoon around the girl glowed, and then burst apart in light, leaving no trace of the girl. Instead, a massive ant, nearly six meters long, towered over us. I had absolutely no doubts about this thing being the most powerful creature in the room. Didn’t mean it couldn’t bleed, though.

More disturbingly, the other ants seemed to grow slightly larger, and more imposing. Even the flesh forms. Clearly, the queen not only was a powerhouse, herself, but was empowering the remaining ants.

“Clear out the rest of the slop,” I said, looking to DeeDee. “We’ll distract Big Momma, and then we all rip her apart.”

The mantis woman frowned for half a second, then nodded. “You heard him! Get to fucking work, girls!”

Initiative:

Iceblade’s Initiative: 9d6 = 4 Hits, 2 miss (Init 13, 3 Passes)

Berzerker’s Initiative: 9d6 = 4 hits, 2 miss (Init 13, 3 Passes)

Sexkitten’s Initiative: 9d6 = 1 hit, 0 miss (Init 10, 3 Passes)

Shadowgirl’s Initiative: 9d6 = 4 hits, 2 miss (Init 13, 3 Passes)

DeeDee’s Initiative: 18d6 = 13 hits, 2 Miss (Init 31, 4 Passes)

Tricky’s Initative: 11d6 = 3 hits, 2 Miss (Init 14, 2 Passes)

Tiny’s Initiative: 13d6 = 5 Hits, 2 miss (Init 18, 4 Passes)

Devastation Angels Soldiers x5 Initiative: 19d6 = 7 Hits, 2 miss (Init 26, 2 Passes)

Mantis Soldier True Form x2 Astral Initiative: 12d6 = 6 Hits, 2 Miss (Init 18, 3 Passes)

Ant Soldier True Form x2 Initiative: 17d6 = 6 Hits , 2 Miss (Init 23,  2 Passes)

Ant Queen True Form’s Initiative: 24d6 = 9 hits, 4 miss (Init 33, 3 Passes)

Zaydon’s Initiative: 10d6 = 6 Hits, 1 miss (Init 16, 3 Passes)

Tancy’s Initiative: 9d6 = 1 Hit, 3 Miss (Init 10, 2 Passes)

Mareth’s Initiative: 11d6 = 6 Hits, 1 miss (Init 17, 3 Passes)

Rixa’s Initiative: 11d6 = 2 Hits, 2 miss (Init 13, 3 Passes)

Ant Queen’s Attack Roll (Mantis Soldier 1): 23d6 = 10 hits, 4 Miss

Mantis Soldier 1’s Dodge: 13d6 = 7 Hits, 0 miss (3 Net Hits)

Natural Weapon: 16P, AP -1 (Venom, Damage counts as Acid)

Mantis Soldier 1’s Damage Resistance: 7d6 = 2 Hits, 1 Miss (9P Acid Damage)

Mantis Soldier 1: 9/12 Physical Monitor

DeeDee’s Attack Roll (Mareth): 20d6 = 8 Hits, 4 miss

Mareth’s Dodge: 11d6 = 3 Hits, 2 Miss (5 Net Hits)

Natural Weapon: 13P, -1 AP (Impact Armor)

Mareth’s Damage Resistance: 6d6 = 2 Hits, 1 Miss (11P Damage)

Mareth: 11/10 Physical Monitor (Disrupted)

Angel 1’s Attack Roll (Ant Soldier 1): 17d6 = 7 Hits, 0 Miss

Ant Soldier 1’s Dodge: 17d6 = 5 Hits, 4 Miss (2 Net Hits)

Natural Weapon: 10P, -1 AP

Ant Soldier 1’s Damage Resistance: 9d6 = 2 Hits, 4 miss (9P Damage)

Ant Soldier 1: 9/13 Physical Monitor

Angel 2’s Attack Roll (Ant Soldier 1): 17d6 = 3 Hits, 5 Miss

Ant Soldier 1’s Dodge: 13d6 = 6 Hits, 4 Miss (0 Net Hits)

Angel 3’s Attack Roll (Ant Soldier 1): 17d6 = 6 Hits, 2 Miss

Ant Soldier 1’s Dodge: 12d6 = 5 Hits, 1 Miss (1 Net Hits)

Natural Weapon: 9P, -1 AP

Ant Soldier 1’s Damage Resistance: 9d6 = 2 Hits (7P Damage)

Ant Soldier 1: 16/13 Physical Monitor (Disrupted)

Angel 4’s Attack Roll (Ant Soldier 2): 17d6 = 5 Hits, 1 Miss

Ant Soldier 2’s Dodge: 3 Hits, 1 Miss (2 Net Hits)

Natural Weapon: 10P, -1 AP

Ant Soldier 2’s Damage Resistance: 9d6 = 1 hit, 3 miss (9P Damage)

Ant Soldier 2: 9/13 Physical Monitor

Angel 5’s Attack Roll (Ant Soldier 2): 17d6 = 6 Hits, 2 Miss

Ant Soldier 2’s Dodge: 13d6 = 4 Hits, 2 Miss (2 Net Hits)

Natural Weapon: 10P, -1 AP

Ant Soldier 2’s Damage Resistance: 4 Hits, 0 Miss (6P Damage)

Ant Soldier 2: 15/13 Physical Monitor (Disrupted)

The Queen moved before even DeeDee could take a step. Lunging forward, she struck at something I couldn’t see, since I had turned my eyes back to the material world. One of the true form mantis spirits, no doubt. At least it wasn’t me, or one of the girls.

DeeDee was only slightly slower, but she crossed the distance between her and the flesh form in the center of the trio. Her hand whipped around, and crushed the woman’s chest, sending her flying off her feet. The flesh form didn’t even have a chance to gasp. She was just gone.

Five hybrids I hadn’t been introduced to moved forward, just after their leader. Three on one and two on the other, they took down both of the soldier ants, leaving just the queen, the shaman, and two flesh forms. Still rough, but the numbers game was looking more and more our way.

Tiny’s Attack Roll (Rixa): 13d6 = 5 Hits, 2 Miss

Rixa’s Dodge: 11d6 = 4 Hits, 3 Miss (1 Net Hit)

Combat Axe: 12P, -1 AP (Immunity to Normal Weapons 12)

Mantis Soldier 1’s Attack Roll (Ant Queen): 9d6 = 4 Hits, 1 Miss

Ant Queen’s Dodge: 24d6 = 9 Hits, 2 Miss (No Net Hits)

Mantis Soldier 2’s Attack (Zaydon): 12d6 = 3 Hits, 1 Miss

Zaydon’s Dodge: 8d6 = 2 Hits, 1 Miss (1 Net Hit)

Natural Weapon: 9P, -1 AP (Impact Armor)

Zaydon’s Damage Resistance: 6d6 = 2 Hits, 0 Miss (7P Damage)

Zaydon: 7/10 Physical Monitor (Knocked Down)

Zaydon’s Attack Roll (Mantis Soldier 2): 6d6 = 4 Hits, 1 Miss

Mantis Soldier 2’s Dodge: 13d6 = 6 Hits, 1 Miss (No Net Hits)

Tricky’s Attack Roll (Tancy): 8d6 = 3 Hits, 0 Miss

Tancy’s Reaction: 3d6 = 1 Hit, 0 Miss (2 Net Hits)

Short, Narrow Burst: 10S(e), -half AP

Tancy’s Damage Resistance: 12d6 = 4 Hits, 1 Miss (6S Damage)

Tancy: 6/11 Stun Monitor (Knocked Down)

Tricky’s Attack Roll (Tancy): 8d6 = 3 Hits, 0 Miss

Tancy’s Reaction: 1d6 = 0 Hit, 0 Miss (3 Net Hits)

Short, Narrow Burst: 11S(e), -half AP

Tancy’s Damage Resistance: 12d6 = 5 Hits, 3 Miss (6S Damage)

Tancy: 12/11 Stun Monitor (Unconscious)

Tiny wasn’t to be left out of the fight, either. However, when Tiny brought her massive combat axe down on the flesh form on the right, it just… stopped. Didn’t penetrate past the armor. Because spirits had some bullshit going on, sometimes.

One of the true form mantis soldiers materialized next to the shaman, slashing down with one bladearm. The magician yelled in pain as the bladearm pulled him to the ground. Not enough to kill him, clearly, but he was not in good shape. Even so, he pushed himself to his feet with a wild gleam in his eyes, and pulled a wavy-bladed kris dagger from his belt. The shaman slashed out at the mantis who wounded him, but clearly he had more insane fervor than training, because the blade did not even get a chance to scratch the insect’s exoskeleton.

Tricky, unlike Tiny, held back, and unloaded two quick bursts from her machine pistol into the left-hand flesh form, both nailing the girl center mass. Spirit bullshit or not, she still went down like a sack of potatoes, and then stayed down when the second burst hit her. Stun bullets really did a number on the spirits, thankfully.

Iceblade’s Attack Roll (Ant Queen): 10d6 = 5 Hits, 1 Miss

Ant Queen’s Reaction: 14d6 = 4 Hits, 2 Miss (1 Net Hit)

Short, Narrow Burst: 9P Acid

Ant Queen’s Damage Resistance: 15d6 = 7 Hits, 2 Miss (2P Damage)

Ant Queen’s Berserk Resistance: 20d6 = 4 Hits, 7 Miss (Threshold 3, not Berserk)

Ant Queen: 2/16 Physical Monitor

Iceblade’s Attack Roll (Ant Queen): 10d6 = 5 Hits, 0 Miss

Ant Queen’s Reaction: 11d6 = 3 Hits, 5 Miss (2 Net Hits)

Short, Narrow Burst: 10P Acid

Ant Queen’s Damage Resistance: 15d6 = 4 Hits, 3 Miss (6P Damage)

Ant Queen’s Berserk Resistance: 16d6 = 5 Hits, 4 Miss (Threshold 3, not Berserk)

Ant Queen: 8/16 Physical Monitor

Berserker’s Attack Roll (Ant Queen): 11d6 = 4 Hits, 2 Miss

Ant Queen’s Reaction: 8d6 = 3 Hits, 3 Miss (1 Net Hit)

Short, Narrow Burst: 9P Acid

Ant Queen’s Damage Resistance: 15d6 = 7 Hits, 1 Miss (2P Damage)

Ant Queen’s Berserk Resistance: 15d6 = 2 Hits, 5 Miss (Threshold 3, Berserk 1 Combat Turn)

Ant Queen: 10/16 Physical Monitor

Berserker’s Attack Roll (Ant Queen): 11d6 = 4 Hits, 0 Miss

Ant Queen’s Reaction: 6d6 = 2 Hits, 1 Miss (2 Net Hits)

Short, Narrow Burst: 10P Acid

Ant Queen’s Damage Resistance: 15d6 = 4 Hits, 3 Miss (6P Damage)

Ant Queen: 16/16 Physical Monitor (Disrupted)

Shadowgirl’s Attack Roll (Rixa): 13d6 = 4 Hits, 2 Miss

Rixa’s Reaction: 4d6 = 0 Hits, 2 Miss (Glitch) (4 Net Hits)

Semi-Auto: 14P Acid

Rixa’s Damage Resistance: 4d6 = 1 Hit, 2 Miss (Glitch) (13P Damage)

Rixa: 13/10 Physical Monitor (Disrupted)

Sexkitten’s Attack Roll (Zaydon): 14d6 = 6 Hits, 3 Miss

Zaydon’s Reaction: 1d6 = 0 Hits, 0 Miss (6 Net Hits)

Short, Narrow Burst: 14P, -2 AP

Zaydon’s Damage Resistance: 7d6 = 0 Hits, 2 Miss (14P Damage)

Zaydon: 21/10 Physical Monitor (Dead)

Getting close to an ant that made trolls look petite was not my idea of a good time. Instead, I brought up the Sakura Fubuki loaded with the insecticide rounds, and unleashed two quick bursts. The queen SCREAMED, but that was fine. She was hurt. Not dead, but hurt. And if we could hurt it, we could kill it.

Berzerker was right beside me, her gun raised. Two quick bursts later, and it didn’t matter that the queen was the size of a bus. That much insecticide was downright unhealthy for her. With a snap of displaced air crashing in on itself, the Queen was sent back to whatever metaplane she crawled out of. And good riddance.

The remaining flesh form screamed. Not the scream of pain I’d started to become familiar with, but one of loss and confusion. Unfortunately for her, screaming in the middle of a gunfight isn’t terribly productive. Especially when an adept like Shadowgirl was around. Either Shadowgirl was really lucky, or the flesh form’s luck had cratered, because the insecticide round went right into her open mouth. Thankfully, the flesh form’s head starting to melt into goo cut the screams off, but that won the ‘nastiest kill of the night’ award, for sure.

Sexkitten, seeing that the Shaman was the only contender still standing, dropped her machine pistol, and brought up the battle rifle on a sling. Three rounds of EX-EX ammo slammed into the shaman’s chest, and left a fist-sized hole where his heart was supposed to be. Very, very dead, and that meant our fight was done.

“Well, drek,” one of the Angels said. “I thought we were fucked for sure when that queen showed up.”

“No kidding,” Tricky nodded. “Good thing we had some outside help, huh, Boss?”

All eyes turned to DeeDee, who nodded, stoically. “Yeah, I guess so. Mind telling me what kind of chem is in those rounds, now that everything’s done?”

I shrugged, and tried to recall the info we’d gotten about the insecticide. “Industrial grade insecticide, called ‘RK IV’. Supposed to be good on paracritter insects, like Awakened Termites and the like. Not great for people or pets, if you drink it, but otherwise nontoxic.”

“And do all Shadowmen run around with shit like this ready to go?”

“Not even close. We came loaded for giant bugs, remember? Just be glad we didn’t come with any splash grenades full of the stuff. That would’ve been messy, trying to keep everything clear.”

Tiny got a wicked grin on her face. “You know, Boss, couple of those grenades would make a good ‘oh drek’ button, if we get in too deep with scouting a nest, and have to book it. Like if we need to take on a Queen. Would’ve lost at least a few people before we could take her down, if we didn’t have them with us.”

DeeDee just shook her head. “We’ll consider it. OK? But for now, we need to do a sweep, and make sure there aren’t any stragglers. With the Queen and Shaman both dead, they should be out of sorts, at the very least.”

I nodded. “And we should go check on our target, see about making sure he isn’t going to be a problem on our way back to Seattle.”